Universal controlling method and system for flow rate of cooling water and active air flap

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are a universal controlling method and a system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap. The universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap includes: adjusting, by a controller, a temperature of the cooling water based on a predetermined flow rate mode; and selectively opening, by the controller, the active air flap based on the predetermined flow rate mode.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0099726, filed Aug. 4, 2014, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a universal controlling method and a system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap. The universal controlling method and system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap may interwork an opening and closing control of the active air flap with a control logic for a flow rate of cooling water which have been recently developed, thereby solving an unbalance problem of operation conditions of components having the same purpose during developing a vehicle and improving fuel efficiency.

BACKGROUND

Generally, an active air flap (AAF) is a device including an openable and closable flap mounted between a radiator grill and a radiator of a vehicle to perform a control.

The active air flap is a device including an openable and closable flap installed on a rear surface of a bumper grill to control introduction of air for cooling an engine. The active air flap may close the flap during high speed driving of the vehicle to decrease air resistance of the vehicle, thereby promoting improvement of driving stability. Meanwhile, the active air flap may open the flap when an internal temperature of an engine room is increased and engine components is overheated, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the engine room.

Accordingly, the active air flap may receive signals about states of the vehicle such as a vehicle speed, a temperature of cooling water, a temperature of a motor, a temperature of oil, and the like to open and close the flap.

When a control of the active air flap is associated with the temperature of the cooling water temperature, the active air flap has been controlled so as to be opened and closed based on the temperature of the cooling water. In other words, when the control scheme is applied as described above based on a thermostat mechanically controlling a flow of the cooling water without considering a flow mode of the cooling water, the active air flap may be opened or closed after a predetermined reference temperature and the temperature of the cooling water are compared with each other.

For example, according to the related art using the thermostat, when the temperature of the cooling water is the predetermined reference temperature or greater, the cooling water flows toward a radiator and the active air flap is opened; and when the temperature of the cooling water is the predetermined reference temperature or less, the flow of the cooling water toward the radiator is blocked and the active air flap is also closed.

In the related art, as described above, an operation of the active air flap may be determined based on the temperature of the cooling water without consideration about the flow mode of the cooling water. As such, the necessity to control components having the same purpose in a vehicle has been increased to maximize a fuel efficiency improving effect through a rapid engine warm-up during cold start of a vehicle to which various technologies are applied.

Accordingly, the use of the thermostat has been substantially reduced and a ‘universal flow rate control valve’ including motors and a plurality of valves has been recently developed in connection with controlling the flow of the cooling water.

The ‘universal flow rate control valve’ refers to a device including the plurality of motors and valves such that the flow mode of the cooling water may be mainly divided into a stop mode, a warm-up mode, a temperature control mode, a cooling mode, and the like, and thus the may control a flow of the cooling water for each mode. Meanwhile, a universal flow rate control system refers to a system to which the ‘universal flow rate control valve’ is applied.

For the universal flow rate control system, the stop mode may be an initial start of an engine. In the stop mode, a temperature of the cooling water may be low such that it may not be required to cool the cooling water, and a flow of the cooling water to the radiator may be blocked and the temperature of the cooling water rapidly may arrive at a normal temperature.

In the warm-up mode, only required amount of the cooling water may be supplied to an oil warmer or a heater until the engine arrives at a normal operation condition, and most of the heat generated in the engine may be used to warm-up the vehicle. In the warm-up mode, when the engine warms up to a normal operation temperature and the temperature of the cooling water becomes a set temperature or greater, the universal flow rate control valve may circulate the cooling water again to the radiator to reduce the temperature of the cooling water.

In addition, in the temperature control mode, the temperature of the cooling water of the engine may be controlled by stepwise increasing a flow rate of the cooling water to be moved to the radiator, and in the cooling mode in which the temperature of the cooling water is the predetermined reference value or greater, the flow rate of the cooling water to be moved to the radiator may increase to maximum to rapidly reduce the temperature of the cooling water.

In the present invention, an operation mechanism opening or closing the active air flap simply based on a temperature of the cooling water in the related art is avoided and a universal controlling method and system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap is provided to obtain an optimal fuel efficiency improving effect. In particular, the present invention includes operating the active air flap so as to interwork with a control mode of the ‘universal flow rate control valve’ that is being recently developed as described above.

In the related art associated with the present invention, a control method for vehicle with active air flap has been disclosed such that it may be more accurately diagnosed whether or not a fault such as an open state of a thermostat has occurred, thereby improving an optimal cooling performance of an engine cooling device and improving reliability of the engine cooling device. However, the control method depends on the temperature of the cooling water whether or not the active air flap is opened and closed.

The contents described as the related art have been provided only for assisting in the understanding for the background of the present invention and should not be considered as corresponding to the related art known to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a universal controlling method and system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap. The method and system may reduce an unnecessary task such as determination of a flap operation condition, or the like. In addition, according to a condition of cooling water of an engine during a cold start, the method and the system of the present invention may obtain an optimal fuel efficiency improving effect by interworking a control of the active air flap with a control of a ‘universal flow rate control valve’.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, provided is a universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap. The universal controlling method may include: adjusting, by a controller, a temperature of the cooling water based on a predetermined flow rate mode; and selectively opening, by the controller, the active air flap based on the predetermined flow rate mode.

In the cooling water temperature adjustment, the active air flap may be closed the temperature of the cooling water is increased.

In the cooling water temperature adjustment, the active air flap may be while the temperature of the cooling water is reduced.

In particular, during an initial start of an engine, a flow of the cooling water may be stopped and the active air flap may be closed. In addition, during a warm-up time of an engine, only required amount of the cooling water may be supplied to an oil warmer or a heater and the active air flap may be closed.

When the temperature of the cooling water is a predetermined reference value or greater, an amount of cooling water to be moved to a radiator may be maximally increased, and the active air flap may be opened.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, provided is a universal controlling system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap. The system may include: a flow rate controller determining whether or not to raise a temperature of the cooling water; and a flap controller selectively controlling opening or closing the active air flap for cooling or heating the cooling water based on the determination of the flow rate controller.

The flow rate controller may transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller when it is determined to be a mode of increasing the temperature of the cooling water.

The flow rate controller may transmit a signal for opening the active air flap to the flap controller when it is determined to be a mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water.

The flow rate controller may stop a flow of the cooling water and transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller during an initial start of an engine.

The flow rate controller may supply only required amount of the cooling water to an oil warmer or a heater and transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller during a warm-up time of an engine.

The flow rate controller may maximally increase an amount of cooling water to be moved to a radiator and transmit a signal for opening the active air flap to the flap controller when the temperature of the cooling water is a predetermined reference value or greater.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows each step of the entire flow chart of an exemplary universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary universal controlling system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles.

Although exemplary embodiments are described as using a plurality of units to perform the exemplary process, it is understood that the exemplary processes may also be performed by one or plurality of modules. Additionally, it is understood that the term controller/control unit refers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules and the processor is specifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or more processes which are described further below.

Furthermore, control logic of the present invention may be embodied as non-transitory computer readable media on a computer readable medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, controller/control unit or the like. Examples of the computer readable mediums include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc (CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards and optical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed in network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable media is stored and executed in a distributed fashion, e.g., by a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN).

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Hereinafter, a universal controlling method and system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: adjusting, by a controller, a cooling water temperature and selectively opening, by the controller, the active air flap.

In the cooling water temperature adjustment, a temperature of the cooling water may be controlled based on a predetermined flow rate mode. In a universal flow rate control valve, a flow mode of the cooling water may be divided into a stop mode, a warm-up mode, a temperature control mode, and a cooling mode, and it may be determined based on the control mode whether to pass the cooling water through a radiator to reduce the temperature of the cooling water or to perform a restrictive control.

For example, in the stop mode which may be an initial start of an engine, the temperature of the cooling water may be generally low, such that it may not be required to cool the cooling water, and a flow of the cooling water to the radiator may be blocked so that the temperature of the cooling water may rapidly arrive at a normal temperature. Accordingly, both of an inlet and an outlet of the universal flow rate control valve may be closed. In particular, the flow of the cooling water to the radiator may be blocked to control the temperature of the cooling water.

Meanwhile, in the warm-up mode in which the engine arrives at a normal operation condition, only required amount of the cooling water may be supplied to an oil warmer or a heater by the universal flow rate control valve and heat of the engine may be used to increase the temperature of the cooling water.

When the engine warms up to a normal operation temperature, the temperature of the cooling water may be a predetermined reference temperature or greater and the universal flow rate control valve may be opened, such that the cooling water may flow to the radiator. Particularly, only required amount of the cooling water may be supplied to the oil warmer or the heater and the temperature of the cooling water may be controlled to be increased by the heat of the engine.

The temperature control mode may be a mode of controlling a temperature of the cooling water by stepwisely increasing a flow rate of the cooling water to be moved to the radiator, and the cooling mode may be a control mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water by maximally increasing the flow rate of the cooling water to be moved to the radiator in the case in which the temperature of the cooling water is a set reference value or more.

The cooling water temperature adjustment may be performed based on each mode as described above, and selectively opening the active air flap may be performed so as to interwork with the cooling water temperature adjustment.

That is, in the selectively opening, the flap may be driven to be opened and closed based on the predetermined flow rate mode. According to the related art, when the temperature of the cooling water is greater than the predetermined reference temperature, the flap may be opened, and when the temperature of the cooling water is lower than the set reference temperature, the flap may be closed. However, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it may not be determined whether the flap is opened or closed based on the temperature of the cooling water. Instead, the operations of opening and closing the flap may be performed such that those operation may interwork with the cooling water temperature adjustment of controlling the temperature of the cooling water based on the predetermined flow rate mode.

According to the related art, the active air flap is controlled to be opened and closed simply based on the temperature of the cooling water without consideration of a cooling water control mode of the engine. However, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the active air flap may be controlled to interwork with the cooling water control mode of the engine.

A control logic for selectively opening the active air flap based on each flow rate mode will be described below.

In the cooling water temperature adjustment, the active air flap may be closed in a control mode of raising the temperature of the cooling water.

Particularly, in the control mode of raising the temperature of the cooling water, since the temperature of the cooling water is controlled to be increased to a predetermined target temperature, when a control to close the active control flap interworks with the control mode of raising the temperature of the cooling water to rapidly warm up the engine, the engine may warm up more rapidly as compared with the related art, such that an fuel efficiency improving effect may be maximized. Accordingly, in the control mode of raising the temperature of the cooling water, the active air flap may be closed.

Meanwhile, in the cooling water temperature adjustment, the active air flap may be opened in a control mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water. In the control mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water, the active air flap may be opened to circulate air, such that the temperature of the cooling water may be reduced more rapidly as compared with the related art, thereby maximizing the fuel efficiency improving effect.

Therefore, the control mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water will be described in detail below.

During the initial start of the engine, a flow of the cooling water may be stopped, and the active air flap may be closed. As described above, during the initial start of the engine, the temperature of the cooling water may be low, such that it may not be required to cool the cooling water, and the flow of the cooling water may be blocked such that the temperature of the cooling water may rapidly arrive at the normal operating temperature. Accordingly, during the initial start of the engine, the active air flap may be closed to control the temperature of the cooling water to be more rapidly increased.

In addition, during a warm-up time of the engine, only the required amount of the cooling water may be supplied to the oil warmer or the heater and the active air flap may be closed. In particular, during the warm-up time required for the engine to arrive at the normal operation condition, only the required amount of the cooling water may be supplied to the oil warmer or the heater, heat generated in the engine may be used for warm-up, and the active air flap may be closed such that the heat generated in the engine may be effectively used for warming-up.

When the engine warms up to the normal operation temperature and the temperature of the cooling water is the predetermined temperature or greater, the universal flow rate control valve may be opened such that the cooling water may be circulated again to the radiator and be cooled. Accordingly, the active air flap may be again opened.

Meanwhile, a control logic for opening the active air flap in the control mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water will be described in detail.

When the temperature of the cooling water is the predetermined reference value or greater, the temperature of the cooling water should be reduced. Accordingly, an amount of cooling water to be moved to the radiator may increase to maximum to increase a reduced width of the temperature and the active air flap may be opened to induce the temperature to be efficiently reduced, thereby circulating the air.

Meanwhile, FIG. 2 shows an exemplary universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap with detailed steps according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A control process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a mode of controlling the active air flap and a mode of controlling the temperature of the cooling water may interwork with each other.

A logic for controlling the active air flap may be performed, and it may be determined whether the engine is currently running.

When it is determined that the engine is currently running, the universal controlling method may enter a mode of controlling the temperature of the cooling water.

In particular, when it is determined that a mode corresponds to a mode of raising the temperature of the cooling water, a logic for closing the active air flap may be performed.

In addition, in a cooling mode when cooling is required and a mode is for reducing the temperature of the cooling water, the control logic for opening the active air flap may be performed.

Meanwhile, FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary universal controlling system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the universal controlling system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a flow rate controller and a flap controller.

The flow rate controller may be particularly configured of an ‘electronic control unit (ECU)’ and determine whether or not to raise the temperature of the cooling water. A signal for selectively controlling whether to open or close the active air flap may be transmitted to the flap controller through ‘controller area network (CAN)’ communication such that a process of cooling or heating the cooling water may be performed based on the determination of the flow rate controller.

The flow rate controller may transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller when it is determined to be the mode of increasing the temperature of the cooling water and transmit a signal for opening the active air flap to the flap controller when it is determined to be the mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water.

Meanwhile, the flow rate controller may stop the flow of the cooling water and transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller during the initial start of the engine.

In addition, the flow rate controller may supply only the required amount of the cooling water to the oil warmer or the heater and transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller during the warm-up time of the engine.

Meanwhile, the flow rate controller may maximally increase an amount of cooling water to be moved to the radiator and transmit a signal for opening the active air flap to the flap controller when the temperature of the cooling water is the predetermined reference value or greater.

The control process may be performed as described above.

The universal controlling method and system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention may provide various effects. For example, during the cold start, in a warm-up section of the engine, operations of opening and closing the flap may interwork with a control mode of the universal flow rate control valve, thereby making optimally improving fuel efficiency through optimal warm-up of the engine. In addition, during the cold start, an unnecessary task such as a flap operation condition or the like based on a condition of the cooling water of the engine may be eliminated. Moreover, a cooling water temperature control condition in a flow rate control mode of the engine may be correspond to a cooling water temperature reference operation condition of the flap in contrast to the related arts.

Although the present invention has been shown and described with respect to various exemplary embodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A universal controlling method for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap, comprising: adjusting, by a controller, a temperature of the cooling water based on a predetermined flow rate mode; and selectively opening, by the controller, the active air flap based on the predetermined flow rate mode.
 2. The universal controlling method of claim 1, wherein in the cooling water temperature adjustment, the active air flap is closed while the temperature of the cooling water is increased.
 3. The universal controlling method of claim 1, wherein in the cooling water temperature adjustment, the active air flap is opened while the temperature of the cooling water is reduced.
 4. The universal controlling method of claim 2, wherein during an initial start of an engine, a flow of the cooling water is stopped and the active air flap is closed.
 5. The universal controlling method of claim 2, wherein during a warm-up time of an engine, a required amount of the cooling water is supplied to an oil warmer or a heater and the active air flap is closed.
 6. The universal controlling method of claim 3, wherein when the temperature of the cooling water is a predetermined reference value or greater, an amount of cooling water to be moved to a radiator is maximally increased, and the active air flap is opened.
 7. A universal controlling system for a flow rate of cooling water and an active air flap, comprising: a flow rate controller configured to determining whether to increase a temperature of the cooling water; and a flap controller configured to open or close the active air flap such that a process of cooling or heating the cooling water is performed based on the determination of the flow rate controller.
 8. The universal controlling system of claim 7, wherein the flow rate controller is configured to transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller when it is determined to be a mode of raising the temperature of the cooling water.
 9. The universal controlling system of claim 7, wherein the flow rate controller is configured to transmit a signal for opening the active air flap to the flap controller when it is determined to be a mode of reducing the temperature of the cooling water.
 10. The universal controlling system of claim 8, wherein the flow rate controller is configured to stop a flow of the cooling water and transmits a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller during an initial start of an engine.
 11. The universal controlling system of claim 8, wherein the flow rate controller is configured to supply a required amount of the cooling water to an oil warmer or a heater and transmit a signal for closing the active air flap to the flap controller during a warm-up time of an engine.
 12. The universal controlling system of claim 9, wherein the flow rate controller is configured to maximally increase an amount of cooling water to be moved to a radiator and transmit a signal for opening the active air flap to the flap controller when the temperature of the cooling water is a predetermined reference value or greater. 